Office of EU's Costa contacts Kremlin to 'open communication channels', EU official says

The European Council has made brief diplomatic contacts with Russia to establish communication channels, but no substantial discussions have taken place.

​The office ‌of European ​Council President Antonio Costa has made "brief ‌contacts at diplomatic level" with the Kremlin in recent weeks "to open ‌communication channels", an EU official said ‌on Wednesday.

"Nothing was discussed on substance," said the official, speaking on ⁠condition ​of ⁠anonymity. "In any future scenario, the EU has ⁠specific interests that will need ​to be defended, therefore it is ⁠important to have established diplomatic channels with ⁠Russia." The ​official added: "The EU is not a mediator. It ⁠supports Ukraine in its efforts to ⁠achieve ⁠a just and lasting peace."